Lost and Found
by Rayder
Summary: The saga of everyone's favourite knight from FFXII. Basch comes to Dalmasca as a child, and his life is changed forever.


Greetings! Alright, I haven't given up on According To Plan, but I've had this idea floating around in my head for a little while now. It's an AU retelling of the events before, during and after FFXII. The main difference, Basch is only three years older than Ashe, thus making him about the same age as Balthier. Starts out with Basch arriving in Dalmasca as a child, continues on through teens, so on and so forth. I have plans to continue the story past the end of the 'game' story line.

Okay, on with the story.

Lost and Found

The deserts surrounding Dalmasca's royal city of Rabanastre were said to be the harshest in all of Ivalice. The dunes seemed to stretch on forever and the hot sun was unforgiving, beating down on those who crossed the dry sands. And after sunset, the desert winds were cold enough to chill people to their death.

No shade.

No shelter.

Nothing but harsh and unforgiving desert.

Pulling the cloth shirt off of his head, Basch Fon Ronsenberg wiped it across his brow before ringing the sweat-soaked cloth dry. He wrapped the shirt back around his head, wincing from the pain of moving his badly sun burnt arms. He was starving, dehydrated, in pain from sunburn but worst of all, he was lost.

Rabanastre is bound to be around here somewhere, Basch told himself. Keep going, one foot in front of the other. Keep going.

That had become his mantra since fleeing from his home some days ago. The Republic of Landis had felt the full force of the Archadian army, and now nothing remained of Basch's home. His mother, gone. His father, gone too. His brother….Noah! Noah hadn't been in the city at the time of the attack. There was a small chance that he was alive!

That small glimmer of hope gave Basch a renewed strength to continue on to Rabanastre as quickly as possible. But the heat was too overbearing. He continued on for a barely another mile before collapsing face down in the sand, praying for someone to find him.

----------------------------------------------------

Prince Asrael, eldest son of King Raminas and heir to the Dalmascan throne, was a keen hunter. He, like his younger brothers, had spent much of life in the deserts surrounding their home, and knew them like he knew the secret passages of the royal palace.

Today though, his venture into the desert had not been successful. A fierce sand storm was doing a good job of keeping any potential fiends out of the line of fire. Realising the hunt was a lost cause; Asrael sheathed his sword, mounted his chocobo and headed for home. He had headed further out than normal today, where the plains were wider, and there were fewer mountains for beasts to hide in.

There's also less shelter out here from the sun, too, he chided himself as he urged his chocobo on. "As soon as the mountains are visible again, we'll rest, Tobin." Asrael patted the faithful bird on his head. Heeding his master's words, Tobin picked up speed, eager to get out of the sand storm and into the shade.

The two were coming over the top of a sand dune when they saw a small, lone figure staggering through the sand.

"Poor soul," the prince commented. "Crossing the desert alone. Think you can handle another passenger?"

An enthusiastic "Kweh!" was Tobin's response. Asrael turned his attention back to the traveler and looked up just in time to see the small person fall to the ground.

"Hurry Tobin!"

As they got closer, Asrael was astonished to find that the person he was rescuing was a mere child. He…he couldn't be any older than Ashelia, Asrael thought as his beloved little sister's face burst clearly into his mind. The boy was breathing, but only just.

"If we stay out here any longer, he will surely die! Get us back to Rabanastre as quick as you can Tobin!" Asrael commanded as he mounted his chocobo again, with the child nestled safely in his arms.

Finally out of the desert, the doors to the palace stables were becoming clearer each second.

"Open the gates! Open the gates!" Asrael bellowed to the guards.

"Make way! Make way for Lord Asrael! He returns!" The stable master cleared a path for the prince and ordered a page to fetch water for his lordship and his chocobo.

"Ah, Lord Asrael, you've returned! Another successful hunt I see?"

"No, Frollin it was not successful; why don't you take a closer look."

The stable master started. "Heavens above…"

"I found him alone wandering across the desert. I must get him to infirmary immediately! Alert my father of this!" Asrael shouted over his shoulder as he ran from the stables in the direction of the palace.

"King Raminas my Lord? Why?" Frollin called after him.

"I am sure that this boy is the son of an old friend of his. Now, send a messenger!" Asrael ignored anymore of Frollin's shouting and marched onto the infirmary. Raminas was waiting for him by the hospital wing's doors. Opening the heavy wooden doors to let his son pass, Raminas quickly fell into step beside him.

Asrael placed the boy on the nearest bed and called for a healer.

"He needs to be treated for dehydration and severe sun burn," the prince explained quickly. "Please, help him."

"I agree that the sight of a child collapsing in the middle of the desert is an unwelcome one, but you seemed particularly disturbed by this, my son." Raminas spoke softly as Asrael stepped away from the bed to let the healers work.

His eyes never strayed from the boy as he spoke. "I am certain that this boy is one of General Fon Rosenberg's sons."

Raminas sharply turned his gaze away from Asrael and to the boy.

"At first I thought he was too badly sun burned to bare any resemblance to the General, but the pendant around his neck leaves me with no doubt in my mind as to who he is."

Raminas leaned closer to inspect the boy better. Sure enough, around his neck was a silver pendent of a bird; its wings turned upwards towards the sky, ready to take flight.

"Good heavens above," Raminas shook his head sadly.

"What troubles me most father, is what possibly could have happened to have him end up face down in the middle of Dalmasca."

Before Raminas could answer, one of the healers's approached the two men. "My Lords," he bowed his head respectfully. "The boy will live, but he will need time to rest and further treatment if he is to recover completely."

"Yes, of course. Do all that you can for him." Asrael said quickly. "His father is an ally of Dalmasca's and I would like to see him returned his family."

"We will treat as best we can, my Lord," the healer bowed his head once more and left.

Raminas turned and lead his son out of the infirmary. "We will come to know what happened to the Fon Ronsenberg boy in time, but there's nothing more you can do right now. Come, you must be tired."

Heeding his father's words, Asrael moved to the door. He paused in the doorway and turned to look back at the blonde child.

"He will tell us his tale in time, Asrael. Let him rest."

Asrael closed the doors to the infirmary and started up the stairs with his father, his mind still focused on the small child inside.

Completely exhausted and oblivious as to where he was at the moment, Basch Fon Ronsenberg unconsciously clutched at the pendent around his neck, totally unaware that his life had been changed forever.

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End of chapter one. I'm actually quite happy with this start. The story might start off a bit slow, but it will pick up in later chapter. Love triangles a-plenty await us in future chapters….Basch/Ashe/Rasler, Basch/Ashe/Balthier, and perhaps Basch/Ashe/Al-Cid. Princess just can't seem to make her mind up, can she? Haha, just jokes.

Next Chapter: Basch awakens and tells his story to Asrael and Raminas. Unfortunately, for Basch, Princess Ashe doesn't like the idea of her father and eldest brother focusing their complete attention on another child on her birthday. Needless to say, Basch's first meeting with Dalmasca's only princess is not pleasant.


End file.
